UK Shifts Tomato Imports from Spain to Morocco, Reshaping Produce Market

Over the past five years, the United Kingdom has imported fewer Spanish tomatoes. In 2016, 144.72 million kilos of Spanish tomatoes were exported to the United Kingdom, compared to 90.44 million kilos in 2020, a decrease of 37.5%. But during this time, the United Kingdom imported 83.15 million kilos of Moroccan tomatoes in 2020, compared to 49.84 million kilos in 2016, an increase of 66.83%, according to Hortoinfo.

During the year 2020, the total tomatoes imported by the United Kingdom amounted to 376.66 million kilos at 545.91 million euros, at an average price of 1.45 €/kg, with the Netherlands as the main supplier having sold 149.34 million kilos to the United Kingdom, i.e. 39.65% of the total for a value of 220.19 million euros and an average price of 1.47 €/kg. Spain comes in second place with 90.44 million kilos, i.e. 24.01% of the total, worth 119.52 million euros and an average price of 1.32 €/kg. Thus, Morocco supplied the United Kingdom with 83.15 million kilos of tomatoes, i.e. 22.08% of the total for 104.32 million euros and an average price of 1.25 €/kg.

At the rate of trade over the past five years, and with the many trade agreements concluded between the governments of the United Kingdom and Morocco, in 2021 Morocco is poised to outpace Spain in supplying tomatoes to the United Kingdom.